Mondo Knows Facts
An invisible zip hides its teeth behind the tape
The coil sits on the reverse of the tape so only a seam shows when closed In a concealed zip the teeth are mounted on the back face of the tape and the slider runs on that hidden side. Once sewn into a seam the fabric closes over the join, leaving a narrow line rather than a visible chain. The technique needs a special presser foot because the seam allowance must sit close to the teeth. It sits in Mondo's everyday life collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.
Where this comes from
Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.
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More facts like this
A hook and eye pulls a gap closedThe wire hook catches a fabric loop and pulls the two edges tightFour hole buttons let you choose the stitch patternThe extra holes allow a cross or parallel thread that spreads the loadTwo way zips carry a slider at each endTwo sliders meeting in the middle let a jacket open from top or hemYKK on zippers stands for a Japanese manufacturing companyThe world's largest zipper maker uses the initials of its founder's businessGarment zippers incorporate spring latches to stay closed securelyPull tab locking pins prevent clothing zips from sliding down under stressA zipper slider is a tapered Y channelThe two rows enter separately and leave interlocked through a narrow throat
๐งญ Everyday Lifefact 179 of 200
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Tags: zippers, clothing, sewing
An invisible zip hides its teeth behind the tape: the short answers
- Where does this come from, and can I check it?
- The coil sits on the reverse of the tape so only a seam shows when closed. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
- Is this really a everyday life fact?
- Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
- What else can I read about it?
- The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.